THIS WEEK IN XENA NEWS....
TWXN 63
01/26/97

Brought to you by Xena: Media Review (XMR):
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TWXN is the advance sheet for XMR. XMR is a periodic
annotated world press review of reports regarding the
internationally syndicated television show XENA:
Warrior Princess (1995 - ) and the castmembers, Lucy
Lawless and Renee O'Connor.  For a free e-mail
subscription send "subscribe XMR" to
ktaborn@lightspeed.net. Excerpts from the following
cites will appear in future issues of XMR.


[    ] 01-06-97
   ELECTRONIC MEDIA. Page 28. 1027 words. "Touring
Seagram's Universal: Frank Biondi Rouses a Sleeping
Giant (Part 1/2)" By Diane Mermigas    
   COMMENTARY: The first media news of a XWP Saturday
morning cartoon for Fall of 1997 was found in a caption
to a graphic in a two part interview with Frank Biondi. 
   EXCERPT:
   ...GRAPHIC: Chairman Frank Biondi is revitalizing
Universal for his employer, Seagram. "Xena" Series
spinoffs later this year will include Saturday morning
animation.
 

[   ] 01-06-97
   ELECTRONIC MEDIA. Page 24. 2680 words. "New Day
Dawns for  Universal Television" By Diane Mermigas
   EXCERPT:
   ...Plans also are under way to develop Universal
Television into a animation boutique.
   Future ''Hercules'' and ''Xena'' series spinoffs
will include Saturday morning animated renderings and
direct-to-home videos later this year....
   ...As the first studio to combine international,
domestic and first-run sales, Mr. McNamara said he is
insisting on series rebroadcasts (often in the same
week as the original broadcast), choice time periods on
the strongest stations and top pricing.     The new
approach has resulted in double the syndication
revenues from a series such as ''New York Undercover.''
   Through more aggressive sales agreements,
Universal's ''Hercules'' and ''Xena'' first-run duo is
expected to generate at least $50 million over a
five-year life span, due in part to healthy foreign
sales....


[   d] 01-06-97
   MEDIAWEEK. 5685 words. "NAPTE '97: A look at what's
new on the floor" By Michael Freeman
   COMMENTARY: In a catalog of first-run shows being
offered at NATPE, TEAM: KNIGHT RIDER was listed as
"'This is not your father's Knight Rider' is the
catchphrase studio executives at Universal are passing
along at sales pitches for this new version of the
former network series. One New York station rep
describes the show as 'The A-Team meets Knight Rider.'"
The listing concluded with "Whatever they decide to
pitch it as won't likely matter--what Universal has
done with the hit action-adventures Hercules and Xena
makes this series a fairly safe bet."
   The error of this observation is that although
Universal gets the privilege of releasing XWP, they are
not the creative minds behind the work. TEAM KNIGHT
RIDER is not a Raimi-Tapert/Renaissance Pictures
Production.
   The catalog also listed a show called TRACKER being
offered by the BAYWATCH/SINBAD people. The catalog
stated, "Former bodybuilding champion Rachel McLish
stars as a woman raised in the wilderness (by wolves?)
who dedicates her life to tracking down the man who
killed her mentor. The trail ultimately leads her to a
modern city. Wait--doesn't this sound like an urbanized
Xena?"
   First of all, the analogy misses. Xena is not feral
in the way a woman raised by wolves would be. Second,
the thought of an urbanized Xena is too scary. Don't
take me there, All-American Television. Please.


[    ] 01-07-97
   ST. PETERSBURG TIMES. Tuesday. Page 2. 1147 words.
"TCI Viewers Do Not Need More Cartoons, They Need WGN"
   COMMENTARY: In a series of letters to the editor
discussing TCI's dropping of WGN from their cable line-
up, a citizen wrote, "Although I'm not a transplanted
Midwesterner (western New York is my former stomping
grounds) and not a sports nut like some people, I do
like some of the programming I've been able to watch,
some of which pertains to movies and the  newest action
adventure series such as Sinbad, Xena, Warrior Princess
and  Hercules, the Legendary Journeys. The last three
may be somewhat corny to some people, but I enjoy them. 
They're different, plus quite entertaining, as far as
I'm concerned. The last two programs I mentioned used
to be on Channel 13. Then they got  moved to Channel 10
(CBS). Now, I'm only able to find Xena on that station,
and it's constantly being pushed later and later into
the wee hours of early  Monday morning. Granted, I
could tape that program and watch it on a night when
nothing else interests me, but what about the other
two? Where do I find  them?"


[   b] 01-08-97
   THE TAMPA TRIBUNE. Wednesday. Page B2. 440 words.
"'Mystery Science Theater' moves as cable channels add
new series" By Walt Belcher
   EXCERPT:
   ...Also on Monday at 10 p.m., TNT adds "The New
Adventures of Robin Hood." Imagine Robin (Matthew
Porretta) as a Hercules of the forest and Maid Marian
(Anna Galvin) as Princess Xena, and you have an idea
where this is headed. Marian should get equal billing
because she does have the bigger sword....


[   b] 01-09-97
   NEW TIMES LOS ANGELES. Thursday. Calendar. 1943
words. "7 Days in L.A." By Ravi Dhillon
   COMMENTARY: Ah, the memories...thank you, Sharon and
Creation Con.
   EXCERPT:
   ...Sunday
   January 12
   Hercules and Xena Adventure Heroes Convention:
Although the demigod hero of the syndicated series
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys has fought giants,
centaurs, a Cyclops, a tri-tailed snake woman, a deadly
sea serpent, and a three-headed dog at the gate of
Hades, the strapping six-foot-three actor Kevin Sorbo
is really a "good guy," who describes himself as a very
"human, accessible hero." And Lucy Lawless, star of
Xena: Warrior Princess, is actually a compassionate
woman "with the devil on her shoulder," who has
appeared as the menacing Amazon enforcer Lysia in the
TV movie Hercules and the Amazon Women. Both stars
undergo strenuous training on a regular basis--to
maintain their superhuman physiques and to be able to
perform the stunts their roles demand. What else would
you expect from action-adventure heroes who "stand
alone as warriors and protectors of mankind"? This
weekend when they appear in costume at Creation
Entertainment's official convention for fans, who will
delight in behind-the-scenes footage, on-stage
presentations, and merchandise galore. $10-$18. Jan.
11-12, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Burbank Airport Hilton, 2500
Hollywood Way, Burbank, 818-409-0960....



[   e] 01-09-97
   LOS ANGELES TIMES. Thursday. Page B1. 1168 words.
"These Lawyers Enjoy the Chance to Do the Right Thing"
By Jerry Hicks 
   COMMENTARY:  Hey! A rumor of a XenaCon for Anaheim!
This is not surprising since the Burbank Hilton
Convention Center was sold out days before the XenaCon.
The Anaheim Convention Center is where STAR TREK holds
its Grand Slam Conventions. It would not surprise me
that the next Southern California convention would be
in Anaheim. The real question is when this will be!
   EXCERPT:
   ...Warrior Weekend: Saturday night is my night to
read and relax at home. That's because my teen-age son
is in his room listening to his music, and my wife and
4-year-old daughter are glued to two hours of
back-to-back TV warriors. It's "Hercules: The Legendary
Journeys" at 8 and "Xena: Warrior Princess" at 9
(Channel 5).
   So when I heard that both Kevin Sorbo (Hercules) and
Lucy Lawless (Xena) would be appearing at the Burbank
Airport Hilton this weekend, I knew there would be no
holding back my wife and daughter.
   It's the first official convention for fans of the
two warriors from long ago. If you're among those fans
but Burbank is a stretch for a weekend outing, don't
worry. Mary Anderson-Harris, a spokeswoman for show
sponsor Creation Entertainment, says it's now trying to
put together an Orange County show....


[   ] 01-09-97
   THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 213 words. "Eick president
at Renaissance" By Lisa de Moraes  
   REPRINT:
   David Eick has been promoted to president of Sam
Raimi and Robert Tapert's Renaissance Pictures
Television.  Eick had been VP since 1994; he joined the
Universal Studios-based production company in 1992 as
director of TV development.   
   Eick has been instrumental in launching
Renaissance's TV division, where he oversees
development and production of projects. During his
tenure, he has developed four drama series and seven
telefilms.  Eick currently serves as supervising
producer of the company's mid-season drama series for
ABC, "Spy Game" (formerly "Cloak & Dagger") and
co-producer of the first-run series "Hercules: The
Legendary Journeys." Eick also was a producer of the
CBS series "American Gothic," co-producer of two
direct-to-video sequels to the feature "Darkman" and
co-producer of the Fox drama pilot "M.A.N.T.I.S." Liz
Friedman, Renaissance Pictures Television director of
TV development, will continue to report to Eick. She
also is a co-producer of the company's first-run series
"Xena: Warrior Princess." Eick began his career as
executive assistant to MCA/Universal Television
executive Richard Lindheim in 1990. 




